KIERAN MCKENNA’S WARM welcome was particularly telling.
As Sammie Szmodics signed for Ipswich Town last week, the manager gave a glowing account of his new player.
The Republic of Ireland striker joined on a four-year deal for a “significant, undisclosed fee” after a sensational 2023/24 season in the Championship with Blackburn Rovers.
“We think Sam brings a lot of different qualities to the squad and is an experienced player who has worked extremely hard over the years to improve his game and to become more and more effective as a player,” McKenna told the Ipswich website.
“That was shown last year with the fantastic season he had at Blackburn with the goals he scored throughout the campaign, including one at Portman Road of course.
“He has a real feel for scoring goals and works so hard for the team both on and off the ball. He knows many of the players here, as well as some of the staff and has ties to the club and to the area.
“This is a move that works for all parties and he has rightfully earned the chance to play in the Premier League, which I know he is delighted to do at this club.
“His arrival gives us another really versatile forward player who can operate in different roles and systems, giving us a big goal threat and plenty of other qualities to add to the team.”
Szmodics returned the praise, and echoed some of those sentiments in his own interview after joining the Premier League newcomers. The 28-year-old said that after years of interest, the move felt right this time given the “challenge” of the top-flight, while his new team-mates encouraged him to come work under McKenna.
“It’s every boy’s dream to play in the Premier League and I’ve always said to my friends, family and agents that I’ll get to the top one day,” said Szmodics. “There’s nothing more I want than to score at Portman Road for Ipswich Town.”
Szmodics scored 27 goals in the Championship last season and finished with the Golden Boot. Some 33 goals in all competitions was a career-best haul and saw him become the first Blackburn player since Alan Shearer to score 30 goals in a single season.
He was shortlisted for the PFA Championship Player of the Year award, but was beaten to the title by Crysencio Summerville, formerly of Leeds after a summer move to West Ham.
There was a consolation prize for Szmodics, however: the top scorer was named in the Championship Team of the Year.
All of these achievements are made more impressive by the fact that Blackburn finished 19th of 24 teams in the second-flight. They struggled for much of the season and avoided the drop to League One by just three points.
Scoring significantly more goals (60) than the teams around them was an advantage, with 45% of the total coming from Szmodics.
He’s a notable absence for Rovers this season, who paid tribute to “a special player, with a special personality to match” and “the heartbeat of the dressing room” as he departed.
Blackburn’s loss is Ipswich’s gain, however.
Their new #23 made his Premier League debut in the 74th minute of last weekend’s opening 2-0 defeat to Liverpool.
McKenna started another new arrival, Liam Delap — son of former Ireland international Rory — up top, with Conor Chaplin behind him in the middle of a three.
Chaplin was Ipswich’s joint-top scorer in the Championship last season with 13 goals. In all, the Tractor Boys scored 92 goals as they finished second, but they had a much wider spread than Szmodics’ Blackburn.
Nathan Broadhead also hit the back of the net 13 times in league action, while Omari Hutchinson was another wide player to hit double figures with 10 goals.
George Hirst (seven), Kieffer Moore (seven — now at Sheffield United), Wes Burns (six) and Irish-eligible Marcus Harness (four) were among others on target. Former Ireland U21 midfielder Jack Taylor is also at the club.
Hutchinson and Burns flanked Chaplin last week, the former with Ipswich’s best chance of the game in the first half. The 20-year-old, who signed permanently from Chelsea on a club record this summer, was played through by Delap in a brilliant counter-attacking move, but sent his shot straight at Alisson Becker.
It was one of just two Ipswich shots on target. They had seven in total, and don’t need to be told that they must take their chances at this level.
Szmodics showed poise, precision and composure last season. With standards and pressure ratcheted up a few notches, he must do so again when his opportunities arise at his new home.
He is a versatile attacking option for McKenna, so should be called upon for additional firepower — whether that be off the bench early on, or from the off. Breaking into the team alone will be a challenge: he may be tried-and-tested in all areas of attack.
Alongside Delap — who joined from Manchester City after his most recent loan spell at Hull City — Ali Al-Hamadi has also bolstered the centre-forward options. The Iraqi international has arrived from Wimbledon, where he scored 23 goals in League Two last season.
Kalvin Phillips was the big-name signing, but can Szmodics separate himself from the others and make a splash?
While yet to score for Ireland, he has impressed through his all-round play since his debut against Belgium in March. He will undoubtedly be a key player for new manager Heimir Hallgrímsson going forward.
But the focus is on currently on club. After last weekend’s opener against Liverpool, it doesn’t get any easier for Ipswich with a trip to defending champions Manchester City on the cards later today.
“You have to look harder to find weaknesses and areas you think you can exploit,” as McKenna said in the build-up.
That appears to be the overarching task for Szmodics at Ipswich for the season ahead.
